Atapattu confirms his class
07 April 2005
Geoff Longley NAPIER
Marvan Atapattu's test career, which started with five ducks in six innings, has gone full circle.
He is now the member of an illustrious club of players who have scored centuries against all other test- playing countries.
The Sri Lankan skipper completed the set of hundreds on a benign McLean Park pitch yesterday, making 127, and adding it to those scored against the other eight test nations. He joins Sachin Tendulkar (India), Steve Waugh (Australia) and Gary Kirsten (South Africa) in an exclusive club.
Mahela Jayawardene and Atapattu prospered on the easy-paced strip with accomplished centuries and a 184-run third-wicket stand as Sri Lanka amassed 351 for three by stumps on day three in the first cricket test. Barring a dramatic occurrence, akin to the 1931 earthquake in the region, a draw is odds-on, with the wicket the only winner.
Atapattu's humble beginnings of 0 and 0 (v India 1990), 0 and 1 (v Australia 1992), and 0 and 0 (v India 1994) never hinted at the peaks the 34-year old could scale.
Now the right-hander touts a test average of 40, scoring his 5000th test run in his 80th match yesterday, and he has made more centuries (16) than half-centuries (13), another indication of batting class.
What's more, he has converted six of those centuries into double centuries, including three against Zimbabwe. Atapattu lies behind only the incomparable Don Bradman (12), Brian Lara and Wally Hammond (both seven) in terms of the most double centuries scored.
Atapattu said last night he never lost faith in himself as a cricketer despite his dreadful start, which stretched to six ducks in his first nine innings.
``It's so special, especially after the start I had in test cricket. I knew I was capable of scoring runs at this level and the faith in me led me back into the side again,'' he said.
``I knew about the record, and this was the ideal situation in terms of the pitch scenario. I cannot ask for a better pitch as a batsman. It helped me a lot.''
Atapattu said it was hard work for the bowlers and he did not see the pitch changing its character much for the final two days. He said once the follow-on figure of 361 was passed, he had several options available, including declaring behind.
But given that Sri Lanka has not played a test for six months, it is most likely Atapattu will give the rest of his batsmen time in the middle and hope to build a lead on the last day that spinners Upul Chandana and Rangana Herath will try to exploit.
The probability is that the teams will be all-square heading to the second and final test in Wellington, where the likelihood of weather interruption is greater than in Napier, where the mellow April weather has matched the pitch.
``It's very limited what a bowler can do on a wicket like this. These wickets are a bit bouncier than the ones in Sri Lanka,'' Atapattu said.
``We batsmen enjoy batting on strips like this. Run-making is easier here than on the wickets in Sri Lanka.''
Atapattu said he expected New Zealand to prepare bouncier and greener surfaces to help it achieve a result against Sri Lanka but could understand why such a featherbed was produced.
``Coming from playing Australia, where the New Zealanders were worried about scoring runs, it wasn't their strength. In some ways they have given their best chance to get their batsmen in form.''
The New Zealand bowlers might have hoped for better after the pounding they took from Australia, but it has been more toil with minimal reward.
The only glimmer of hope came when Chris Martin took two wickets in four deliveries mid-way through the first session, dismissing Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara before the batting bonanza resumed. The second new ball taken late in the day at 299 for three just produced more runs.
Martin said it has been an ego-deflating summer after starting with high expectations. He felt he is bowling the same as he was when highly successful against South Africa last season but getting hardly any reward.
``Australia is obviously a better side, but it's sure been hard to get a roll on.''
(just joking) ,but you don't get pitches that produce 912 runs for 13 wickets if the pitch isn't flat. Also if you look at both batting line up their is only one guy from NZ that averages over 40 and i don't think any of the Sri Lankan averages over 40 away from home, so it not like both sides are stacked with great batters either.